diff --git a/fastai/learner.py b/fastai/learner.py
index dabee8898e..c37b7fb45b 100644
--- a/fastai/learner.py
+++ b/fastai/learner.py
@@ -594,13 +594,25 @@ def _valid_mets(self):
         if getattr(self, 'cancel_valid', False): return L()
         return (L(self.loss) + self.metrics if self.valid_metrics else L())
 
-    def plot_loss(self, skip_start=5, with_valid=True):
-        plt.plot(list(range(skip_start, len(self.losses))), self.losses[skip_start:], label='train')
+    def plot_loss(self, skip_start=5, with_valid=True, log=False, show_epochs=False, ax=None):
+        if not ax:
+            ax=plt.gca()
+        if log:
+            ax.loglog(list(range(skip_start, len(self.losses))), self.losses[skip_start:], label='train')
+        else:
+            ax.plot(list(range(skip_start, len(self.losses))), self.losses[skip_start:], label='train')
+        if show_epochs:
+            for x in self.iters:
+                ax.axvline(x, color='grey', ls=':')
+        ax.set_ylabel('loss')
+        ax.set_xlabel('steps')
+        ax.set_title('learning curve')
         if with_valid:
             idx = (np.array(self.iters)<skip_start).sum()
             valid_col = self.metric_names.index('valid_loss') - 1 
-            plt.plot(self.iters[idx:], L(self.values[idx:]).itemgot(valid_col), label='valid')
-            plt.legend()
+            ax.plot(self.iters[idx:], L(self.values[idx:]).itemgot(valid_col), label='valid')
+            ax.legend()
+        return ax
 
 # %% ../nbs/13a_learner.ipynb 136
 add_docs(Recorder,
@@ -610,7 +622,7 @@ def plot_loss(self, skip_start=5, with_valid=True):
          after_validate = "Log loss and metric values on the validation set",
          after_cancel_train = "Ignore training metrics for this epoch",
          after_cancel_validate = "Ignore validation metrics for this epoch",
-         plot_loss = "Plot the losses from `skip_start` and onward")
+         plot_loss = "Plot the losses from `skip_start` and onward. Optionally `log=True` for logarithmic axis, `show_epochs=True` for indicate epochs and a matplotlib axis `ax` to plot on.")
 
 if Recorder not in defaults.callbacks: defaults.callbacks.append(Recorder)
 
diff --git a/nbs/13a_learner.ipynb b/nbs/13a_learner.ipynb
index 9b2af93f98..ad9b936cbb 100644
--- a/nbs/13a_learner.ipynb
+++ b/nbs/13a_learner.ipynb
@@ -2924,13 +2924,25 @@
     "        if getattr(self, 'cancel_valid', False): return L()\n",
     "        return (L(self.loss) + self.metrics if self.valid_metrics else L())\n",
     "\n",
-    "    def plot_loss(self, skip_start=5, with_valid=True):\n",
-    "        plt.plot(list(range(skip_start, len(self.losses))), self.losses[skip_start:], label='train')\n",
+    "    def plot_loss(self, skip_start=5, with_valid=True, log=False, show_epochs=False, ax=None):\n",
+    "        if not ax:\n",
+    "            ax=plt.gca()\n",
+    "        if log:\n",
+    "            ax.loglog(list(range(skip_start, len(self.losses))), self.losses[skip_start:], label='train')\n",
+    "        else:\n",
+    "            ax.plot(list(range(skip_start, len(self.losses))), self.losses[skip_start:], label='train')\n",
+    "        if show_epochs:\n",
+    "            for x in self.iters:\n",
+    "                ax.axvline(x, color='grey', ls=':')\n",
+    "        ax.set_ylabel('loss')\n",
+    "        ax.set_xlabel('steps')\n",
+    "        ax.set_title('learning curve')\n",
     "        if with_valid:\n",
     "            idx = (np.array(self.iters)<skip_start).sum()\n",
     "            valid_col = self.metric_names.index('valid_loss') - 1 \n",
-    "            plt.plot(self.iters[idx:], L(self.values[idx:]).itemgot(valid_col), label='valid')\n",
-    "            plt.legend()"
+    "            ax.plot(self.iters[idx:], L(self.values[idx:]).itemgot(valid_col), label='valid')\n",
+    "            ax.legend()\n",
+    "        return ax"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -2947,7 +2959,7 @@
     "         after_validate = \"Log loss and metric values on the validation set\",\n",
     "         after_cancel_train = \"Ignore training metrics for this epoch\",\n",
     "         after_cancel_validate = \"Ignore validation metrics for this epoch\",\n",
-    "         plot_loss = \"Plot the losses from `skip_start` and onward\")\n",
+    "         plot_loss = \"Plot the losses from `skip_start` and onward. Optionally `log=True` for logarithmic axis, `show_epochs=True` for indicate epochs and a matplotlib axis `ax` to plot on.\")\n",
     "\n",
     "if Recorder not in defaults.callbacks: defaults.callbacks.append(Recorder)"
    ]